Car door



Jan. 10, 1950 w. A. BEAUCHAMP CAR DOOR Filed Aug. 9, 1945 I I :2 ff

//V VEN T02 W/LFPED a. fimuzHeMp Patented Jan. 10, 1950 CAR DOOR Wilfred A. Beauchamp, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 9, 1945, Serial No. 609,799

6 Claims.

This invention relates to car doors and particularly to weatherprooflng the lower edge of sliding car doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide a weathertight construction for the lower edge of sliding car doors which shall be independent of the normal variations and irregularities occurring in the car and door constructions.

A further object is to provide a weathertight construction for sliding car doors which shall be fool-proof in its establishment and provide direct contact between the weatherprooflng members and the bottom edge of the doors.

A further object is to provide a weathertight construction for sliding car doors which shall be maintained regardless of subsequent deflection of the car underframe or door supporting structure.

A further object is to provide weathertight construction for sliding car doors which shall prevent lodgment of debris and secure proper weathertightness.

A further object is to provide a weathertight construction for sliding car doors of the lift type, a portion of which lies between a supporting track for the doors and the car and below the track.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a sliding lift car door with which the instant invention is utilized.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 a portion being broken away to show the relationship between the weatherproofing member and one of the track brackets.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the door in raised position.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the drawings, the reference numeral It designates a sliding car door of the lift type which is adapted to close a door opening Ii formed in each side of a railway house car. The car, as is usual in such structures, embodies a floor l2 supported along each side by means of a side sill l3 which is angular in section and which is reinforced by means of a bulb angle 14. The outer portion of the floor I2 is protected by means of a threshold plate l5 provided with a depending flange l6 ex- 2 tending downwardly below the door opening. The portion of the threshold plate l5. which projects outwardly beyond the side sill I3 is supported from the side sill through the medium of an angle A track I8 is utilized to support the door frictionally in lowered position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and upon the rollers l9l9 of a lifting mechanism designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 2! in raised position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The track I 8 is supported in outwardly spaced relationship to the door opening H and depending flange [6 of the threshold plate l5 by means of a plurality of brackets 2| secured to the side sill reinforcement l4 as by means of rivets 22. The door I0 is formed with a depending flange 23 which lies below the track and when the door is in closed position between the track and depending flange iii of the threshold plate.

The instant invention provides eflective means for weather-proofing the lower edge of the door thereby preventing any foreign matter from entering the car through the door opening between the threshold plate and the door. In the considered embodiment of the invention this means takes the form of a substantially Z-shaped weatherproofing member 24 which is adapted to close the space between the door and the depending flange of the threshold plate. To this end the Z-shaped member embodies an upstanding flange 25 so disposed as to abut the inner face of the depending flange 16 of the threshold plate, an outwardly extending downwardly inclined flange 26 which abuts the lower edge of the depending flange 23 of the door It and sheds debris falling thereon and a depending flange 21 which is secured to the track brackets 2i as by means of welding. As shown, the depending flange 21 of the weatherproofing member 24 is formed with a plurality of recesses 28 into which the track brackets 2| extend for securement to this flange. This construction is more clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings from which it will be apparent that the recesses 28 permit both horizontal and vertical adjustment of the weatherprooflng member 24 so as to insure contact with the lower edge of door flange 23.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that accurate application of the weatherproofing member 24 may be obtained regardless of any discrepancies or irregularities in the door struc ture, car construction or in the relationship thereto of the track. This follows from the fact that the stated relationship between the depending flange of the threshold plate and the lower edge of the door flange 23 is obtained after the door has been moved to its closed position and is frictionally supported upon the track. Moreover, in view of the fact that the weatherproofing member 24 is supported upon the track brackets 2|, its relationship with the threshold plate and the door'will not be disturbed in the event of the deflection of the side sill or side sill reinforcement or of the door track since such deflection will be accompanied by a corresponding deflection of the door and the weatherproofing memher.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings utilizes an angle weatherproofing member 29 and somewhat modified track brackets 39. Each of these brackets is formed'with a horizontal portion 3| which provides a seat for the horizontal outwardly extending flange 32 of the weatherprooflng member. The latter when assembled in 'weath'erproofing relationship with of "welding. Vertical adjustment of this member is secured merely by raising the member relative to the track brackets and filling in any space "between flange '32 "and horizontal portions 3| of the track brackets 'by welding material. In this embodiment the depending flange 2? of the weatherproo'flng member 24' and the recesses recesses formed therein are eliminated.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will b'e-cle'arto those skilled in the art. It is intended,

therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope or the claims appended hereto.

'1 claim:

1. In arailway house car having a door opening, athreshold plate in said door opening having a depending flange, a door track, brackets secured to said car and supporting said track in spaced relation to said flange, a sliding lift door adapted to be Irictionally supported by said track, a Ifla-n'ge on said door extending below said track and between said track and said threshold plate flange,'and a weatherpro'ofing member secured to said brackets said member having an upstanding flange abutting the inner face of said threshold plate flange and a flange extending outwardly :and abutting the edge of said door flange when said door is frictionallysupported, the upper edge of said upstanding flange of said member lying below the upper edge of said threshold plate flange, the lower edge of said latter flange lying above said --outwardly extending flange of said member whereby said member may be adjusted vertically to contact the lower edge of said door flange when said door is irictionally supported.

2. In a railway house car having a door opening, a thresholdplate in said door opening having a depending flange, a door track, brackets secured to said car and supporting said track in spaced relation to said flange, a sliding lift door adapted to be frictionally supported by said track, a flange on said door extending below said track and between said track and said threshold plate flange, and a weatherprooflng member secured to said brackets, said member having an upstanding flange abutting the inner face of said threshold plate flange and a flange extending outwardly and abutting the edge of said door flange when said door is frictionally supported. said outwardly extending flange being inclined downwardly, the upper edge of said upstanding flange of said member lying below the upper edge of said threshold plate flange, the lower edge of said latterflange lying above saidoutwardly extending flange of said member whereby said member may be adjusted vertically to contact the lower edge of said door flange when said door is 'frictionally supported.

3. In a railway house car having a door opening, a threshold plate in said door opening having a depending flange, a door track, brackets secured to said car and supporting said track in spaced relation to said flange, a sliding lift door adapted to be frictionally supported by said track, a flange on said door extending below said track and between saidtrack and said threshold plate flange, and a weatherprooflng member secured to said brackets, said member'having an upstanding flange abutting the inner face of said threshold plate flange, a flange extending outwardly and abutting'the edge of said door flange when said door is frictionally supported, and a depending flange, the latter fla'nge being secured to said track brackets the upper edge of said upstanding flange or said member flying below the-upper edge of said threshold plate flange, the lower edge of said'la tt'er flange lying abovesaid outwardly extending flange of said member whereby said member may be adjusted vertically to'contact the lower edge of 'said 'door flange when said door is frictionally supported.

4. In a railway-house car :having a door opening, a threshold plate in said door opening having a depending flange, a door track, brackets secured 'to said car and supporting said track in spaced relation to said flange, a sliding lift door adapted to be frictionally supported by said track, a flange on said door extending below said track and between said track and said threshold plate flange, and a weatherproofing member secured to said brackets'said member having an upstanding flange abutting the inner face of said threshold plate flange, a flange extending outwardly and abutting the edge of said door flange when said door is frictionally supported, and a depending flange, recesses formed in said latter flangasaid brackets extending into said recesses and being secured therein to said latter flange the upper edge of said upstanding flange of said member lying below the upper 'edge'of said threshold plate flange, the lower edge of said latter flange lying above said outwardly extending flange of said member whereby said member may be adjusted vertically to contact the lower edge of said door flange when said door is friction'ally supported.

5. In a railway house on having a door opening, a door track carried by said car in spaced relation to said door opening, a sliding lift door adapted to be frictionally supported by said track in spaced relation to said door opening, a flange on said new extend-ing below said track and between said track and said door opening, and a weatherproofin'g member carried by said car, said member abutting a member on said car below said door opening and extending'outwardly across the space between said door and said door opening and abutting the edge of said door flange when said door is frictionally supported, said weatherproofing member lying below the upper edge of said ear member, the outwardly extending portion of said weatherproofing member lying below the lower edge of said ear member whereby said weatherproofing member may be adjusted vertically to contact the lower edge of said door flange when said door is frictionally supported.

6. In a railway house car having a door opening, a door track carried by said car in spaced relation to said door opening, a sliding lift door adapted to be frietionally supported by said track in spaced relation to said door opening, a flange on said doorextending below said track and between said track and said door opening, and a weatherproofing member carried by said car, said member abutting a member on said car below said door openiri'g and extending downwardly and outwardly across'the space between said door and said door {opening and abutting the edge of said door flange when said door is frictionally supported, said weatherproofing member lying below the upper edge of said ear member, the outwardly extending portion of said weatherproofing member lying below the lower edge of said ear member whereby said weatherproofing member may be adjusted vertically to contact the lower edge of said door flange when said door is frictionally supported. WILFRED A; BEAUCHAMP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are-of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

